NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday if Colin Kaepernick “wants to resume his career in the NFL,” he would support that signing.
“Obviously, it’s going to take a team to make that decision,” Goodell said, speaking with ESPN on the possibility of his return to the league. “But I welcome that, support a club making that decision, and encourage them to do that.”
The 32-year-old Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since 2016, the same season he knelt during the national anthem to protest racial inequality.
Earlier this month, Goodell released a video apologizing on behalf of the NFL for not doing a better job when it came to listening to players’ and their concerns when it came to racial inequality. He did not mention Kaepernick’s name in that video.
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But Monday, he alluded to the work that Kaepernick has done, and it sounded as if Goodell would welcome his input when it came to the NFL and social justice issues.
“If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities,” Goodell said of Kaepernick. "We have invited him in before, and we want to make sure that everybody’s welcome at that table, and trying to help us deal with some very complex, difficult issues, that have been around for a long time.
“But I hope we’re at a point now where everybody’s committed to making long-term, sustainable change.”
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him @cpriceglobe.